Bangkok--12 Feb--Thai Airways International’s
Thai Airways International’s “Halal” kitchen at THAI’s Catering Department, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok has been successfully operating for a year.
Halal means permissible in Islamic doctrine, and Halal food is strictly way of the Islamic food that must meet specific cultural and religious, as well as regulatory, standards at every step of the process from purchasing through to preparation and production.
Making Halal food available on THAI flights has become more important in recent years as growth of the Islamic population worldwide is matched by an increasing number of Muslim customers on the airline’s flights.
The THAI Halal Kitchen was fully certified one year ago to ensure conformity with permissible dietary requirements under Islamic law.
The kitchen, established by THAI Catering Services, operates as an entirely separate unit from the regular catering facility at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
The kitchen received, on January 1, 2008, the Halal Food Certificate from The Central Islamic Committee Of Thailand (Halal Thai).
Mr. Smith Pirunsarn, Managing Director, Catering Department, said that THAI’s Catering Department earn 10 — 15 % of its revenue from Halal food production.” The demand has been growing steadily over the year, with the kitchen providing Halal meals for 11 customer airlines.
Total demand from these carriers is estimated at 5,000 Halal meals per day, due to an increase in Muslim population growth rate, especially in regions of the world with greater purchasing power. In addition, Muslims in Southeast Asia and the Middle East have increasing levels of income and demand for travel. With a customer base also growing from international organizations, students and Muslim committees, THAI anticipates that in two to three years demand will grow to around 6,000-8,000 meals.
THAI flies daily to many destinations with large Islamic populations: United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Oman, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam and some Indian cities.
The Halal meal production involves a complete separation of facilities and processes, including the mixture of ingredients and spices, seasoning, food storage, pantry area and other requirements. Training is provided for non-Muslim staff to ensure proper monitoring and preparation.
The kitchen has received ISO9002 certification, which sets high standards to guarantee correct cleanliness and safety of materials used. It is also certified for HALAL Good Manufacturing Practice [GMP] and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point [HACCP] from The Halal Science Center of Chulalongkorn University, which acted as the consultant to THAI in development of the Halal Kitchen. The kitchen has also been inspected by The Islamic Committee of Samut Prakarn Province.
THAI utilizes the country’s agricultural resources to produce all Halal meals as part of government’s policy to position Thailand as one of the world’s leading Halal product exporters. Furthermore, THAI assures its customers that every required step in Halal meal preparation is adhered to. It includes:
Raw material, mixtures of ingredients, spices, and seasoning must be certified
Every production step must adhere to Halal regulations
The area must be clean, safe, and non-contaminated
Equipment used must be clean and follow Halal requirements
Storage and transportation must be separated from the general section
Washing procedures must be in accordance with Islamic law
For further information and reservations, passengers may contact THAI’s 24-hour Call Center at tel. 0-2356-1111.
M.L. Ajcharaporn Na Songkhla,
Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations